'Why is this happening?': Woman recalls terrifying attack at dog park

‘Why is this happening?’: Woman recalls terrifying attack at North Carolina dog park

By: WSOCTV.com Updated: October 23, 2019 - 9:21 AM

A woman is recounting a terrifying and vicious dog attack at a park in Pineville, North Carolina, Monday and when police tried to seize that dog, the owner took off, leading police on a slow-speed chase for miles.

"I just kept thinking 'What's happening? Why is this happening? How am I gonna get this dog off of me,'" Heggins said.

She said it all started when a very large dog owned by Terilyn Jackson started attacking a husky in the park.

"At first, he grabbed the husky by the back of its neck and then, grabbed its tail and started shaking its head aggressively," Heggins said. "The woman got a whistle and blowing at him."

She and her friend Jaylen rushed to get their dogs out of the park, but suddenly, she said she felt pressure on her arm.

"I just ended up being dragged across the ground by the dog, and he started shaking and locked onto my arm and there's people yelling, and she's yelling and Jaylen is trying to rip the dog off my arm," Heggins said.

Her friend jumped on top of the dog and fought it until Pineville police arrived.

Officers told Jackson they needed to take her dog into custody, but they said she took her dog and drove off.

Officers turned on their lights and sirens and followed her. They said she drove the speed limit the entire time, but refused to stop.

At one point, they said she tried to hit their patrol car. Six miles later, she arrived at an animal hospital on Archdale Drive in Charlotte.

Eventually, police arrested Jackson.

"I could have been an 8-year-old or a child and that would be worse than what I got or Jaylen," Heggins said.

Her friend Jaylen suffered several bites and broke a finger during all of this.

The dog is under what is called a "rabies quarantine." Animal control officials are monitoring it while police look into its background and decide if it should be put down.